Hardtop flipper install.

Do they need adjusting or just fit them in place and your done?

angs1957 said:

Do they need adjusting or just fit them in place and your done?

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I need to adjust something. Window, vent or move the flipper in more. Or I have the gasket out to far. Not sure yet. It's only been 3 days so that normal for flipper install on one side. Right lol?
Todd

They look really nice!

If you are using the rubber (bogus) seal under them, trim it so it does not make contact with the flipper hinge area. Otherwise it restricts
it from closing properly.

From the photo, I think the front is in to much. Because of this the flipper front spring is not giving you 100%. Some times I have had to
elongate the first hole to get it to move out more.

There is a guy on you tube that’s makes a butch of videos with his 55 hardtop and lots of good information

victor said:

There is a guy on you tube that’s makes a butch of videos with his 55 hardtop and lots of good information

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HAFF RODS?
I have been subscribed for awhile there.
👍
Todd

Also I have found because the roof rail is curved and the flipper is flat, I don't tighten the middle as much as the ends.

KENTON said:

Also I have found because the roof rail is curved and the flipper is flat, I don't tighten the middle as much as the ends.

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Very important

I think that is a big part of the problem on mine. I put a straight edge on the flipper and it does not even come close to touching in the middle. That's on my list for "over the winter tweaks".

I will update as soon as I get back to working on it. Hopefully this weekend.
Todd

dadsfiveseven said:

I think that is a big part of the problem on mine. I put a straight edge on the flipper and it does not even come close to touching in the middle. That's on my list for "over the winter tweaks".

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Not exactly sure what you mean by your post but you want the flipper to remain straight. Thus, you do not over tighten the middle screws which will make it bow.

lovemy55ba said:

Not exactly sure what you mean by your post but you want the flipper to remain straight. Thus, you do not over tighten the middle screws which will make it bow.

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Yeah, that's what I am finding out. The flippers have not worked right in the 20+ years that this car has been back together, and is the one thing that Dad complained about being a pain in the neck on a hardtop. I'm subscribed to HAFFROD's channel, too, and I saw him explain that they need to be flat even though the roofline is curved. He even mentioned the factory shims on a '56 that he used to own. I had the window down and door closed, and had to close the flipper by hand, as usual. I put a straight edge along the flipper and it didn't even come close to touching in the middle.

Good deal. They look really nice. The flippers were not one of GMs engineering highlights.

lovemy55ba said:

Good deal. They look really nice. The flippers were not one of GMs engineering highlights.

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Some GM engineer back in the 1950's was probably thinking... these flippers will really give some people fits in 70 years from now ha,ha,ha.
He/she was right lol.
Todd

Crowbarman55 said:

I got both flippers installed and working properly with the windows up and down. All the seals, gaskets and rubber stops are installed. Right or wrong, this is how I am going to leave them. I thank Mikey again as he is who did the restoration on the flippers and answered all the questions I had.
Todd

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Great that you got them to work for you! Would you be able to summarize what you did to fix your installation? Inquiring minds...

I had to slightly elongate the front two mounting holes of the flipper on the passenger side by filing them. Which meant I had to take the flipper off to do it. That allowed the front of the flipper to be pushed out more. I also adjust the door window in at the back, by what I call the rear run channel adjustment. Also had to push the vent window post in a little. Could use more but, I didn't want to over do it. It works so I stopped.
The driver's side was MUCH easier and didn't require as much adjustment.
The passenger side must have seen some major trauma in its life before I got the car.
Todd

Belair-o said:

Great that you got them to work for you! Would you be able to summarize what you did to fix your installation? Inquiring minds...

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I bet I spent 25-30 hours installing and aligning the vent window, door and quarter glass and flippers. Installing was the relatively easy part. The hard part is the aligning all the pieces so they work in harmony. It was all about trial and error.

lovemy55ba said:

I bet I spent 25-30 hours installing and aligning the vent window, door and quarter glass and flippers. Installing was the relatively easy part. The hard part is the aligning all the pieces so they work in harmony. It was all about trial and error.

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Same here.
I always wondered how did they do it at the factory back in the day lol.
Todd